Very sorry to hear of John Todds passing. I did speak to him on the ph. several years ago and we talked about the old T/A days. He gave me a run-down of the cars he was involved with and I remember trying to write it down as we spoke. May have passed this info on to Jon?

Loved that photo also of all the guys standing around the car.

Will I see this car at the Sonoma Festival this year? Looks like there is another trip being plannned again

Question for Ken. Around 1979 I met a guy in Pointe Claire, West Montreal who was driving a 1967 Camaro that was painted Penske Blue with a Black vinyl top and hand stretched fender flares. The car also had a from bench seat, a modified 1970 LT1 motor, Cowl Plenum, 4 core rad, and Z28 painted on the fenders. He said his car was a race car, but at the time I did not know what Trans Am was. I was just really impressed with the car as I have never seen anything like it. Any chance this was a Todco car? It was a Penske tribute from what I recall, but had to have been local. Only ever sw it the one time. It also had the yellow Mini-Lite wheels.

Yes, it's really a shame that John Todds has passed on as I'm sure he could fill us in on details that Ken could not. I don't remember you providing me any of the details from your phone call with JT so if you don't mind searching for your old notes, that would be greatly appreciated. To the best of my knowledge, the blue #7 above has not been found and thus won't be at the Sonoma Historic Motorsports Festival this year. I hope it's still out there and turns up someday.

Hello 69Z28FREAK, I believe the '67 you are speaking of was my own Camaro that I sold about that time to someone who was working for Don Duncan. The flaired fenders, bench seat, vinyl top, and plenum sort of give it away. It had a front clip on it from Smokey's salt flat car which I bought from JT. Engine was rebuilt '67 350 with ported heads and used '40 cam from Sebring engine. Lowered all around with big sway bar and Todco decals on vent windows. I saw it with Z28 on front fenders but not on car the 8 years I owned it. Ken

Hello 69Z28FREAK, I believe the '67 you are speaking of was my own Camaro that I sold about that time to someone who was working for Don Duncan. The flaired fenders, bench seat, vinyl top, and plenum sort of give it away. It had a front clip on it from Smokey's salt flat car which I bought from JT. Engine was rebuilt '67 350 with ported heads and used '40 cam from Sebring engine. Lowered all around with big sway bar and Todco decals on vent windows. I saw it with Z28 on front fenders but not on car the 8 years I owned it. Ken

Wow Ken that is incredible that 32 years later I find the original owner of my al time favorite dream car. I would love to get more info from you and talk about that time period. I had a 1970 Z 28 that I bought in 1979 and had the motor built by a shop called Race Engine Specialties in St. Laurent. Are you familiar wuth that shop? What is the chance you have any pictures of that car.

Here is a photo of a TODCO business card, in its blue plastic holder, that John Todds used for the business. I've had it for all these many years since I had a lot of fun enjoying the races and the extracurricular activities.

On the grid early installing driving lights prior to the start of the '69 Sebring 12-Hour race.

John Todds and I went to Smokey's shop after the [March]'69 Sebring race for a meeting and he took us to lunch at his local hangout. When we went back to his shop he told me to go inside and meet his guys and I saw the 15/16 scale model cheater Chevelle he built for Grand National. Smokey sold Todds everything he had left in the way of chassis and parts [Smokey was hired by Bunkie Knudsen to work on Ford's racing program for '69]. My street Camaro had a complete Smokey front clip on it from a Bonneville car. It had a BENCH front seat in it which also went into my car. I have never seen another 1st. gen. Camaro with a bench seat. The whole rest of the car sat out back of Todco with roll bar and gold and black paint all the time I worked there. I was just a kid but he [Smokey] took the time to answer my questions and I will always remember and respect him for that.